A controversial proposed renaming of a Columbus street will be brought before the City Council tomorrow evening.
The request to rename the portion of 4th Street South between Main Street and College Street commonly known as “Catfish Alley” was first discussed at the council’s August 7 meeting. Members of the late Sallie Mae Jones family appeared before the council requesting to have the area of 4th Street renamed Sallie Mae Jones Catfish Alley Street.
Jones was a long time restaurant owner on 4th street and “a well-known black business woman” said her daughter Laura Jones-Chalmers at the August 7 meeting. “Jones Restaurant is the only business left from the era and it is still owned by the Jones family. African Americans have done a great job in shaping this city into what it has become today,” Jones-Chalmers said.
The board voted to table the matter until Tuesday’s meeting. Mayor Robert Smith broke the 3-3 tie and voted in favor of the motion to delay the decision.
The late Jones is the grandmother of Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem. Karriem did not recuse himself from the discussion on the request. He voted against tabling the motion with Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens and Ward 4 Councilman Fred Stewart. The motion to table was made by Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box.
Smith pushed for the delay on the name changing vote to allow other Catfish Alley business owners to have a voice in the process.
“I think it would be wise for us to notify the other business owners on the street and get their input,” Smith said at the August 7 meeting.
Jones-Chalmers, Karriem and Jones’ daughter Helen Karriem were adamant the street be renamed at the August 7 meeting. Jones-Chalmers said the issue had been going for “eight months” and wanted immediate action.
The Jones’ family’s proposal has been the subject of much water cooler fodder and it has become a highly contested issue with Columbus residents.
“This unprecedented action to make this change, the Catfish Alley name, would be like taking sweetening out of a ginger cake,” said Sanders Weatherby in a letter to the Commercial Dispatch. “If done, it will never have the same taste or smell. In other words, the name alteration would cause Catfish Alley to loose its perfection, its purity.”
With support for the change from Karriem, Mickens and Stewart at the August 7 meeting, Tuesday’s vote could be a close one.
“I’m not going to vote to have Catfish Alley renamed,” said Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin, who grew up in Burn’s Bottom near 4th Street. “I’ve had too many phone calls from my constituents and other citizens to support this.”
Although Box could not be reached for comment Monday, he previously stated he would not vote to support the name change.
Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor is expected to be the swing vote on the issue. Monday morning, Taylor said he was still “analyzing the situation.”
“I can’t look at this as a individual — I have to do what is best for the whole city.” Taylor said. “Preserving the historical aspect of Catfish Alley is what’s important to me. I have gotten a lot of calls from people about this and I want to hear what the other business owners on the street have to say. I have not yet made a decision as to how I will vote.”
Jason Spears, owner of JDS Wealth Strategies, which is located in Catfish Alley, is scheduled to appear before the council tomorrow to state his opinion on the proposed name change.
“I’m opposed to it, but not in a strong rebellion type of way,” Spears said. “I’m in the financial business and a name change would be like me having to move my office across town. It would have a major impact on my business as far as time and resources go. It’s not just as easy as calling up the Post Office and having my adds changed.”
The Columbus City Council will meet Tuesday at 5 p.m. at the Municipal Complex. For a complete agenda, go to cdispatch.com.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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